(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a spiral trough separator for separating heavy particles from light particles where the particles normally result from mining operations; and, more particularly, this invention relates to an assembly for adjustment of a splitter and maintaining same in position in the spiral trough so as to separately recover one particle fraction from another.
(2) Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,805 issued Feb. 9, 1993, describes and claims a spiral trough separator having spaced groups of parallel grooves in the trough to enhance the separation of solids from slurries of those solids.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,189,378 issued Feb. 19, 1980, describes and claims a spiral separator for dividing mineral fractions of different sizes of particles having at various locations in the helical trough a slotted opening through which a slurry of particles may be drawn off as a product; the opening being controlled in length by a slide and a splitter project upwardly into the trough, and the stream in the trough may be divided into different parts of the opening and thereafter to different product recovery zones of concentrate and middlings, for example. The splitter position is controlled by a manual adjustment slide mechanism allowing it to be positioned at any desired location from one end to the other of the slotted opening. This arrangement is not only complicated and expensive and relies on changes of size of the opening and associated piping, but is subject to potential jamming of the slide when fine particles become lodged in the slide mechanism.